Bulletproof construction



April 1934- s. FULLER 1,953,708

B ULLE'IPROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 11. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 3, 1934- s. L. FULLER BULLETPROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 11, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1934- s. L. FULLER 1,953,708

' BULLETPRO'OF CONSTRUCT I 0N Filed March 11, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y ln venior famzwyl. Ez/[er A tlomey April 3, 1934. s. 1.. FULLER BULLETPROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed March; 11, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1nveni0 r J1 m ue/Z ZZZ/er Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNEE STATE PA 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bullet proof construction and particularly to bullet proof construction which admits air, sound, and light, but which may not be penetrated by a small arm weapon, such as a pistol or the like, and particularly to a bullet proof construction for bank tellers cages and booths, whereby to protect the teller from bandits.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bullet roof construction and particularly a bank tellers cage or booth of the type described, which is easy and simple to manufacture and install, has readily removable and replaceable parts, and which permits the free circulation of air and sound therethrough as well as light, but which effectively prevents the passage of a bullet fired from a pistol or the like, and prevents injury to the teller, and thereby nullifies the intimidating effect of the presentation of fire arms by a bandit seeking to rob the teller.

These and other objects of the invention, the features of novelty, and its composition and arrangement and combination of parts will be readily understood by anyone acquainted with the art to which this invention relates upon consulting the following description and the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a general front elevation of a tellers cage or booth constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view looking toward the right approximately n the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on a line slightly above the money tray structure.

Figure 4 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view of the lower front part of the cage.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse cross sectional view through one side of the window structure of the cage.

Figure 6 is a partial side elevational View taken in the position of Figure 2 showing a variation of the panel structure and Figure 7 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view approximately on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates generally the lower portion of the cage or booth and the numeral 6 the upper portion thereof above the level of the counter or the like which might be associated therewith, and the numeral 7 designates generally the window structure, and the numeral 8 designates generally a horizontally slidable exchange table.

The lower portion of the structure generally designated 5 is composed of oppositely staggered channel irons of bullet proof steel arranged with respect to each other in the manner disclosed in detail in Figure 4, the outside channel irons being designated by the numeral 9 and the inside channel irons being designated by the numeral 10. The numeral 11 refers to a spacer disposed between the channel irons and forming a support therefor. In the lower portion of the section 5 there is placed a series of horizontal plates 12 set at an angle and vertically spaced to provide for the passage of air and sound therethrough, the plates being set at an angle so that the inward edges are downwardly deflected as particularly clearly seen in Figure 2.

The lower ends of the channel irons 9 and 10 are secured on the upper side of the series of plates 12 in any suitable manner.

The upper ection 6 is constituted by a pair of parallel spaced plates 13 and 14 which are held together at their edges by any suitable structure such as indicated at 15 in Figure '7. The plates 13 and 14 are uniformly and in any systemmatic way perforated, and are provided with circular, square, rectangular or irregular openings 16. In the openings 16 are alternately placed disks 1'? of metal or of glass, and as shown in the drawings and particularly well in Figures 1 and '7, the openings 16 are provided, every other one with one of the disks or sheets 17, and the opening 16 directly in back of the openings 16 provided with a disk or sheet is provided to have no disk, but to be provided with an upstanding flange or ring 18 which cooperates with the next adjacent ring 18 as seen in Figure '7 to form a tortuous passage, so that in case a bullet or other projectile be propelled into one of the openings 16 in the front plate 13, it will be impossible for it to pass through. A direct course, however angular, will not permit it to reach an adjacent opening to oneside of 9 below or about the front opening 16. The arrow in Figure 2 indicates that air and sound may pass through the tortuous passage brought about by the rings or flanges 18, and it will be readily seen that a straight course would not be permitted a bullet projected into one opening to reach another. As seen especially in Figure 7, adjacent each opening in the plates 13 and 14 there are provided flanges or annular projections 19 which aid in seating the disks 17 and the rings 18 and it will be understood that the disks 17 and the rings 18 may be seated in any suitable manner by packing means or spring retainers, or any suitable means used to mount them in the openings 16, whereby to retain them and to provide that they shall be thereof.

readily removable so that they may be inter changed, and metal disks replaced, glass disks and so on.

In the variation disclosed in Figure 6, the disks have their full equivalent in the plates 17a, and the frames 20, the balance of the structure being identical with that disclosed in the other figures of the drawings.

It will be obvious that the structure shown in detailed Figure '7 permits the passage of sound with very slight retardation, and in the case of providing the disks 1'! of translucent or trans parent bullet proof glass, the structure will clearly admit light while at the same time protecting the occupant of the cage from injury at the hands of armed bandits.

At an appropriate point of the upper section 6 a window structure '7 is provided outside of or inside of the window opeing 21 and enclosing the same. The frame of the window structure is in the form of a rectangular box like, open work composite structure. It is composed of a plurality of strips or bars vertically disposed and by horizontal members 23, the strips referred to being designated 22. A casing 24 is secured as at 25 in any suitable manner to the outward or inward strip 22, and inwardly of he casing 24% and formed on the under side of the roof of the window structure is a set of piano hinges 25 on which is inwardly and upwardly swung a bullet proof glass door 26 mounted in a suitable frame 27, and provided on its inward side at the lower end thereof with a pair of latch bolts 28 engageabie between the outward pair of strips 22 whereby to lock the window against inward movement when desired.

The dotted lines in Figure 2 show how the bullet proof window may be swung inwardly and up wardly in such cases as it is necessary to admit a bulky package into the cage from. the outside Ordinarily, however the window 26 is in the position shown in full lines in the drawings and it effectively prevents the passage into the cage of objects which will not freely pass through a depressed portion 28' in the exchange table or tray structure 8.

The tray 8 consists of a receptacle with wooden sides 29 having the angle irons 30 at the corners thereof, of bullet resisting steel. Cooperating with the lower portion of the window structure the depression 28 forms a tortuous passage into the cage, whereby to limit the size of objects which may be passed into the cage without moving the Window 26.

The section designated 31 or the portion of the exchange table exterior of the cage is stationary, and a horizontally adjustable section 32 is provided in slidable relation thereto and lockable in adjusted position by a manually operated bolt 33 and which may be retained in adjusted position with respect to the depression 28' and the lower portion of the window structure, the tray or table section 32 additionally limiting the size of objects which may pass into the cage under the window structure as is evidenced from the drawings, particularly Figure 2.

The section 34 and the exchange table or tray is formed preferably with a stationary bracket as indicated, for supporting the movable section 32. Immediately in front of the bolt 33 is provided an angularly disposed steel backstop set at an angle to resist passage of a bullet which may be fired through the passage formed by the depression 28 at the lower end of the window structure and prevent injury to the mechanism of the exchange table, and injury to the occupant of the cage.

The arrow in Figure 2 represents the course or" sound and air into the openings 16 and through the spaces between the strips 22.

Reference to Figure 5 will disclose a variation in the construction of the side walls of window structure 7. In this variation of Figure 5 plates or strips 36 are disposed horizontally and at an inwardly and downwardly disposed angle, and this arrangement is extended on each side of the window structure 7 in a suitable frame or mounting structure 3'7.

It is to be understood that I do not limit the application of this invention to the particular modification set out herein to illustrate the principles thereof and any change or changes may be made in material or structure and arrangement of parts consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention.

It will be understood that no matter from which angle a bullet or other projectile be projected, that it will be arrested and deflected from its destructive purpose by the formations of the sections of the cage and also of the window structure the progress of the bullet or other projectile being immediately arrested or the bullet itself disintegrated or deflected so as to become harmless to the occupant or occupants of the cage. The details of the exchange table or tray are clearly set out in Figure 3 as well as in Figure 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a bullet proof structure of the class described, a pair of stationary, spaced members, each having a plurality of openings therein, bullet-proof transparent members covering some of the openings in each member, the transparent members in the openings of one member being 5' arranged opposite the uncovered openings in the other member.

2. In a bullet-proof structure of the class described, a pair of stationary, spaced members,

each having a plurality of openings therein, bul- 

